Sand dunes closure hurts San Luis Valley

CHIEFTAIN PHOTO/ERIN SMITH
A sign notifies people that the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is closed to the public. It is on Colorado 150 just off U.S. 160 about 16 miles south of the entrance to the park.

by erin smith
the pueblo chieftain

Published: October 16, 2013;Last modified: October 17, 2013 09:15AM

ALAMOSA — The Oct. 1 shutdown of the federal government that resulted in the closure of 401 national parks and properties — including the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve about 35 miles northeast of here — has hurt local communities that had counted on fall tourism dollars.

The sand dunes draws an average of 200 visitors each day in October — about 300,000 in a year — so that is a negative impact.

“Visitors spend about $100,000 a year in the communities around Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve,” park public information officer Katherine Faz said at the time of the closure. However, Alamosa business owner Eric Burt, who normally rents a lot of sand boards to visitors, says he thinks that’s a low-ball figure.

“My guess would be it is in the millions of dollars,” Burt said.

Burt, owner of Kristi Mountain Sports here, said at this time of year, sand boards, which rent for $18 a day, are a big hit with tourists.

“We’ve noticed we’re not seeing a lot of foreign travelers. In fact, they are pretty much non-existent. Because of the closure, I have had to return rentals that were reserved, so that has a negative impact on my business,” Burt said.

Patti Vittoria, owner of Great Sand Dunes Oasis — a restaurant, gas station and convenience store just outside the park — said her establishment normally is open from May through October. But she had to lay off 15 part-time employees and closed the restaurant Oct. 7 due to a lack of customers. The store and gas station continue to remain open.

“I had hoped to stay open through Oct. 20. We tried to hang in there,” Vittoria, a widow who depends on her seasonal business to support her the entire year, said. “I’m just a small business, but I think it is down more than $24,000. That’s a lot for me, but it also is big for 15 people who had planned to work three more weeks.”

All visitor facilities including the park visitor center, Pinon Flats Campground, Medano Road and all trails within the park and preserve are closed and will remain closed until the government reopens.

Unlike Rocky Mountain National Park, the state of Colorado is not funding reopening of the Dunes. Last week, in an effort to bolster the economy of Estes Park, which was hit by severe flooding earlier, Colorado entered into an agreement with the federal government to donate $362,700 for a 10-day period from Oct. 11-20 for National Park Service employees to reopen and manage Rocky Mountain National Park, according to the National Park Service’s website.

In Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 23 employees are on furlough because of the shutdown and another two concessions employees are similarly affected.

Five employees remain on duty, providing security and emergency services. Among the duties of the park rangers is turning back people attempting to enter the park on foot, on horseback or in vehicles.